JPH1123705A - Obstacle detecting device for vehicle - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To enable an obstacle detecting device for vehicle which detects obstacles existing in the advancing direction of a vehicle based on the detected results of radar equipment to only detect such an object that becomes an obstacle to the advance of the vehicle by providing radar equipment provided with an electromagnetic wave transmitting means which transmits electromagnetic waves in the advancing direction of the vehicle and a reflected wave receiving means which receives the reflected waves which are generated when the transmitted waves are reflected by an object existing in the advancing direction of the vehicle. SOLUTION: An obstacle discriminating means 8 discriminates whether or not an object detected by means of radar equipment 1 is an obstacle based on the detected value of a car speed detecting means 7 which detects the running speed of its own vehicle, the computed value of a relative distance computing means 5 which computes the relative distance between the object and the vehicle based on the detected result of the radar equipment 1, and the computed value of an overlapping amount computing means 6 which computes the overlapping amount of the vehicle upon the object in the width direction of the vehicle based on the detected result of the radar equipment 1.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an electromagnetic wave transmitting means for transmitting an electromagnetic wave in the traveling direction of a vehicle, and a reflection caused by the electromagnetic wave transmitted from the electromagnetic wave transmitting means being reflected by an object existing in the traveling direction. The present invention relates to an obstacle detecting device for a vehicle, comprising a radar having reflected wave receiving means for receiving a wave, and detecting an obstacle existing in a traveling direction of the vehicle based on a detection result of the radar.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 8-240660.
As disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. Hei. To detect obstacles in front of the vehicle in the direction of travel based on the detection result of the radar, and to issue an alarm to prompt the driver to perform an avoidance operation or to avoid collision with the obstacle based on the detection result Is known in which the braking operation is automatically performed.

[0003]

However, in the above-mentioned conventional obstacle detecting device, the overlap amount between the vehicle and the object in the vehicle width direction is not taken into consideration, and therefore, actually, the steering operation is performed by the steering operation. An alarm will be issued even for an object with an overlapping amount that can be avoided, automatic braking will be performed to avoid collision, the frequency of operation of devices to avoid collision with obstacles will increase, and malfunction will occur May occur.

The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to provide a vehicle obstacle detecting device capable of detecting only an object which is an obstacle to the progress of a vehicle as an obstacle.

[0005]

To achieve the above object, the present invention provides an electromagnetic wave transmitting means for transmitting an electromagnetic wave in a traveling direction of a vehicle, and an electromagnetic wave transmitted from the electromagnetic wave transmitting means in the traveling direction. Obstacle detection of a vehicle, comprising: a radar having reflected wave receiving means for receiving a reflected wave generated by being reflected by an object existing in the vehicle; and detecting an obstacle existing in a traveling direction of the vehicle based on a detection result of the radar. In the apparatus, vehicle speed detecting means for detecting the speed of the vehicle, relative distance calculating means for calculating a relative distance to an object existing in the traveling direction of the vehicle based on the detection result of the radar, and a detection result of the radar Overlap amount calculating means for calculating the overlap amount of the vehicle and the object in the vehicle width direction based on the own vehicle, the detected value of the vehicle speed detecting means, the calculated value of the relative distance calculating means, and Detected by the object by the radar based on the calculated value of Rappu amount calculating means for the first, comprising a determining obstacle determining unit that determines whether it is an obstacle.

According to the configuration of the first feature, among the objects detected by the radar, the vehicle speed of the own vehicle, the amount of overlap between the own vehicle and the object in the vehicle width direction, the own vehicle and the By determining whether or not an obstacle based on the relative distance between the objects, the overlap amount is relatively small, so that an object whose relative distance is relatively large is not recognized as an obstacle, Only an object that is an obstacle to the progress of the vehicle can be detected as an obstacle.

In a second aspect of the present invention, in addition to the configuration of the first aspect, there is provided a notifying means which performs an informing operation when the obstacle determining means determines that the obstacle is an obstacle. It is possible to notify the driver in advance that there is a possibility that a control that recognizes an object existing in the traveling direction of the vehicle as an obstacle and avoids a collision with the obstacle may be executed. Even if it is executed, the driver does not feel discomfort.

According to the present invention, in addition to the structure of the first or second aspect, the automatic braking device is provided based on the fact that the obstacle judging means judges that the object detected by the radar is an obstacle. A third feature is that it includes a braking signal output means for outputting a signal for activating, and automatic braking for avoiding collision with a detected obstacle can be performed at an appropriate timing.

According to the present invention, in addition to the configuration of any one of the first to third features, the obstacle determining means avoids an object detected by the radar based on a driver's steering operation. A distance calculating unit that calculates a required distance from the object based on the detection value of the vehicle speed detection unit, the calculation value of the overlap amount calculation unit, and the calculation value of the relative distance calculation unit. The fourth feature, the distance that is a reference for performing control to avoid obstacles existing in the traveling direction of the vehicle, the overlap amount,
By performing the calculation accurately based on the vehicle speed of the host vehicle and the relative distance to the object ahead, it is possible to prevent the control necessary for avoiding a collision with an object existing in the traveling direction from being performed blindly.

The distance calculating unit according to the fourth feature is configured to calculate the relative speed with respect to the object based on the detected value of the vehicle speed detecting means and the calculated value of the relative distance calculating means, and calculate the overlap amount. It is preferable that the distance is calculated based on the time required for the vehicle to move in the lateral direction by the steering operation by the calculated value of the means.

[0011]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The embodiments of the present invention will be described below based on one embodiment of the present invention shown in the accompanying drawings.

FIGS. 1 to 6 show an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the structure of an obstacle detecting device for a vehicle, and FIG. FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating a relative positional relationship, FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating an avoidable distance when the preceding vehicle is stopped, and FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating an avoidable distance when the preceding vehicle is traveling at a constant speed. FIG. 5 is a diagram showing an alarm and automatic braking timing according to the distance between an object present in the traveling direction of the own vehicle and the own vehicle, and FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a avoidable distance by the steering operation and the brake operation. is there.

First, in FIG. 1, a radar 1 capable of detecting an object ahead in the traveling direction of the vehicle is mounted at, for example, a front portion of a vehicle (not shown), and the radar 1 is directed forward in the traveling direction of the vehicle. An electromagnetic wave transmitting means 2 for transmitting a laser or a millimeter wave as an electromagnetic wave;
Reflected wave receiving means 3 for receiving a reflected wave generated by the laser emitted from the object traveling forward in the traveling direction, and an object existing in the traveling direction of the vehicle based on the reception result of the reflected wave receiving means 3. And an object identification means 4 for identification.

The detection result of the radar 1 is inputted to a relative distance calculating means 5 and an overlap amount calculating means 6. The relative distance calculating means 5 calculates a relative distance between an object existing in the traveling direction of the vehicle and the vehicle in the direction along the traveling direction of the vehicle. The calculating means 6 calculates the amount of overlap between the own vehicle and the object in the width direction of the own vehicle.

The calculated values of the relative distance calculating means 5 and the overlap amount calculating means 6 and the detected value of the vehicle speed detecting means 7 for detecting the vehicle speed of the own vehicle are inputted to the obstacle determining means 8 and the obstacle determining means 8, the overlap amount between the host vehicle and the object in the vehicle width direction is relatively small, and an object having a relatively large relative distance between the host vehicle and the object is prevented from being recognized as an obstacle. An object whose amount is relatively large and whose relative distance is relatively small is determined as an obstacle.

Here, assuming that an object existing ahead in the traveling direction of the own vehicle, for example, a preceding vehicle is stopped as shown in FIG. 2, the own vehicle and the preceding vehicle are shifted by Δ in the width direction of the own vehicle.
When the vehicle overlaps only y, the overlap amount Δy is changed by steering operation as shown in FIG.
If the own vehicle is moved only laterally to avoid the preceding vehicle, the own vehicle advances by x in the traveling direction during that time. Therefore, the limit distance Xb required between the host vehicle and the preceding vehicle to avoid the preceding vehicle by steering operation is Xb = x (1) when the preceding vehicle is stopped.

On the other hand, assuming that the preceding vehicle is traveling at a constant speed at the vehicle speed V1, the own vehicle moves laterally by the overlap amount Δ by steering operation to avoid the preceding vehicle. Assuming that the time is Td, the limit distance Xb required between the host vehicle and the preceding vehicle in order to avoid the preceding vehicle by the steering operation is determined as shown in FIG. Xa
Since it moves forward by (= V1 × Td), Xb = x−Xa = x−V1 × Td (2)

Here, when the vehicle is moved laterally by the overlap amount Δy by the steering operation to avoid the preceding vehicle, the distance x at which the vehicle advances in the traveling direction is expressed as follows:
Since there is almost no difference from the distance that the vehicle moves forward in the traveling direction while the time Td has elapsed, when the vehicle speed of the vehicle is V, it can be considered that x = V × Td (3) It is. Therefore, when the above equation (3) is substituted into the equation (2), Xb = (V × Td) −V1 × Td = (V−V1) × Td (4) is obtained.

Here, the time Td is a time for moving in the lateral direction by the steering operation by the overlap amount Δy, and is determined by the ability of the vehicle. Therefore, by previously calculating or measuring the time Td corresponding to the overlap amount for each vehicle,
The time Td is determined according to the amount of overlap Δy. The speed V1 of the preceding vehicle can be calculated from the relative speed of the preceding vehicle to the own vehicle based on the amount of change in the relative distance between the own vehicle and the preceding vehicle and the vehicle speed V of the own vehicle.

The obstacle determining means 8 is based on the overlap amount obtained by the overlap amount calculating means 6, the relative distance obtained by the relative distance calculating means 5, and the vehicle speed V of the own vehicle obtained by the vehicle speed detecting means 7. A distance calculating unit 11 for calculating a limit distance Xb required between the radar 1 and the object to avoid the object detected by the radar 1 based on a steering operation of the driver; First set distance Xb ₁ determined based on distance Xb obtained in
And an alarm determining unit 12 that determines whether or not to issue an alarm by comparing the distance with the relative distance obtained by the relative distance calculating unit 5, and a second value determined based on the distance Xb obtained by the distance calculating unit 11. It is intended and a set distance Xb ₂ and relative distance calculating means braking determination unit 13 determines whether allowed to operate the automatic braking system by comparing the relative distance obtained at 5, alert at alarm determination unit 12 Based on the determination that the power should be applied, the notification means 9 by voice or display is activated, and when the braking determination unit 13 determines that the automatic braking operation should be activated, the braking signal output means 10 A braking signal is output to the automatic braking device.

The distance calculating section 11 calculates the distance Xb based on the above equation (4), and calculates the distance Xb based on the detected value of the vehicle speed detecting means 7 and the calculated value of the relative distance calculating means 5. The distance Xb is calculated based on the relative speed (V-V1) with respect to the object and the time Td during which the vehicle moves in the lateral direction by the steering operation by the calculated value of the overlap amount calculating means 6.

Here, the second set distance Xb_TwoIs an automatic system
Considering the operation delay of the moving device, etc.,
Is also set large, and the first set distance Xb
₁Activates the alarm 9 in advance before the automatic braking device is activated
Second set distance Xb _TwoSet larger than
And the distances Xb, Xb₁, Xb_TwoThe relationship is the figure
5 is obtained.

Next, the operation of this embodiment will be described. Of the objects detected by the radar 1, the vehicle speed V of the own vehicle,
Overlap amount Δ of the vehicle and the object in the width direction of the vehicle
Based on y and the relative distance between the host vehicle and the object, whether or not the obstacle is an obstacle is determined by the obstacle determining means 8, and the overlap amount Δy is relatively small and the relative distance is relatively large. By not recognizing an object as an obstacle, it is possible to detect only an object that is an obstacle to the progress of the vehicle as an obstacle.

Further, the obstacle determining means 8 detects the distance Xb required between the radar 1 and the vehicle speed detecting means 7 to avoid the object detected by the radar 1 based on the driver's steering operation. Value, overlap amount calculation means 6
And a distance calculation unit 11 which calculates the distance Xb based on the calculated value of the relative distance calculation means 5 and the distance Xb which is a reference for performing control to avoid an obstacle existing in the traveling direction of the vehicle. By performing the calculation reliably, it is possible to prevent the control necessary for avoiding collision with the object existing in the traveling direction from being performed indiscriminately.

When the alarm judging section 12 of the obstacle judging means 8 judges that the obstacle is present ahead of the traveling direction, the notifying means 9 performs a notifying operation, so that an object existing in the traveling direction of the own vehicle is regarded as an obstacle. The driver can be informed in advance that automatic braking that recognizes and avoids collision with the obstacle may be performed, and even if the automatic braking operation is performed, the driver may feel uncomfortable. Absent.

Further, a braking signal is output from the braking signal output means 10 in response to the braking determining means 13 in the obstacle determining means 8 determining that the automatic braking device should be operated. Since the device operates, automatic braking for avoiding collision with the detected obstacle can be performed at an appropriate timing.

By the way, when a driver performs a steering operation and a brake operation to avoid collision with an obstacle existing in the traveling direction,
As shown in FIG. 6, the avoidance limit distance is different,
When the vehicle speed V increases, the limit distance due to the steering operation becomes shorter. Thus the than was to allowed to operate the automatic brake system based on the second set distance Xb ₂ based on Xb, there are cases where avoiding the obstacle present in the traveling direction of the vehicle is difficult, As long as obstacles can be avoided by steering operation, automatic braking that is troublesome for the driver is avoided.

Although the embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments, and various design changes can be made without departing from the present invention described in the appended claims. It is possible to do.

For example, in the above-described embodiment, the time Td is determined only by the ability of the vehicle. However, the condition of the road surface on which the vehicle is traveling is detected, and the time Td is determined in advance according to the ability of the vehicle and the condition of the road surface. You may put it. Also, the distance between the object ahead and the own vehicle in the traveling direction is calculated by the distance calculation unit 11.
When the distance Xb calculated in the above is reached, the alarm determination unit 12
The notification means 9 may be operated with a voice or a display different from the voice or the display accompanying the determination result by.

Further, the present invention is also applicable to an obstacle detecting device for detecting an obstacle present behind the vehicle in the traveling direction.

[0031]

As described above, according to the first aspect of the present invention, among the objects detected by the radar, the vehicle speed of the own vehicle, the overlap amount of the own vehicle and the object in the vehicle width direction, and It is determined whether or not the vehicle is an obstacle based on the relative distance between the vehicle and the object, so that only an object that is an obstacle to the progress of the vehicle can be detected as the obstacle.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, there is a possibility that control for recognizing an object existing in the traveling direction of the own vehicle as an obstacle and avoiding collision with the obstacle may be executed. It is possible to notify the driver in advance, and the driver does not feel uncomfortable even when the avoidance control is executed.

According to the third aspect of the present invention, automatic braking for avoiding collision with a detected obstacle can be performed at an appropriate timing.

According to the fourth or fifth aspect of the present invention, the reference distance for performing control for avoiding an obstacle existing in the traveling direction of the vehicle is determined by the overlap amount, the vehicle speed of the own vehicle, and the object ahead. It is possible to accurately perform the calculation based on the relative distance of the object to prevent the control necessary for avoiding the collision with the object existing in the traveling direction from being performed indiscriminately.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of an obstacle detection device for a vehicle.

FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a relative positional relationship between a preceding vehicle and an own vehicle that are obstacles.

FIG. 3 is a diagram for explaining an avoidable distance when a preceding vehicle is stopped.

FIG. 4 is a diagram for describing an avoidable distance when a preceding vehicle is traveling at a constant speed.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing an alarm present in the traveling direction of the own vehicle and an alarm and automatic braking timing according to the distance between the own vehicle.

FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating a distance that can be avoided by a steering operation and a brake operation.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Radar 2 ... Electromagnetic wave transmitting means 3 ... Reflected wave receiving means 5 ... Relative distance calculating means 6 ... Overlap amount calculating means 7 ... Vehicle speed detecting means 8 ... Obstacle Judging means 9 ・ ・ ・ Notification means 10 ・ ・ ・ Brake signal output means 11 ・ ・ ・ Distance calculation unit

 ──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continuing on the front page (72) Inventor Shoji Ichikawa 1-4-1, Chuo, Wako, Saitama Prefecture Inside Honda R & D Co., Ltd. (72) Inventor Yoshihiro Urai 1-4-1, Chuo, Wako, Saitama No.In Honda R & D Co., Ltd.

Claims (5)

[Claims] An electromagnetic wave transmitting means for transmitting an electromagnetic wave in a traveling direction of a vehicle, and a reflection caused by the electromagnetic wave transmitted from the electromagnetic wave transmitting means being reflected by an object existing in the traveling direction. Reflected wave receiving means for receiving waves (3)
A vehicle speed detection device for detecting a vehicle speed of an own vehicle in a vehicle obstacle detection device for detecting an obstacle existing in a traveling direction of the vehicle based on a detection result of the radar (1) Means (7), relative distance calculation means (5) for calculating a relative distance to an object existing in the traveling direction of the vehicle based on the detection result of the radar (1), and An overlap amount calculating means (6) for calculating an overlap amount between the own vehicle and the object in the vehicle width direction based on the own vehicle, a detection value of the vehicle speed detecting means (7),
The radar (1) based on a calculation value of the relative distance calculation means (5) and a calculation value of the overlap amount calculation means (6).
An obstacle detecting device for a vehicle, comprising: an obstacle determining unit (8) for determining whether or not the object detected in (1) is an obstacle. 2. An obstacle detecting device for a vehicle according to claim 1, further comprising an informing means (9) for informing when said obstacle determining means (8) determines that the obstacle is an obstacle. apparatus. 3. A braking signal output means for outputting a signal for activating an automatic braking device based on the obstacle judging means (8) judging that an object detected by the radar (1) is an obstacle. The vehicle obstacle detecting device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein (10) is included. 4. The obstacle determining means (8) determines a distance required for avoiding an object detected by the radar (1) based on a driver's steering operation. A distance calculating section (11) for calculating based on a detected value of the vehicle speed detecting means (7), a calculated value of the overlap amount calculating means (6) and a calculated value of the relative distance calculating means (5). An obstacle detecting device for a vehicle according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein: 5. The distance calculation section (11), wherein a relative speed with respect to the object obtained based on a detection value of the vehicle speed detection means (7) and a calculation value of the relative distance calculation means (5), 5. The vehicle according to claim 4, wherein the distance is calculated based on a time required for the vehicle to move in a lateral direction by a steering operation by a value calculated by the overlap amount calculating means. Obstacle detection device.